Speed-indicator.



No. 802,077. PATENTED 00T. 17, 1905. A. C. HOBBS.

SPEED INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8. 1905.

l l I r ALBERT C. HOBBS, OF IRONTON, OHIO.

SPEED-INDICATOR.

Speoiea'tion of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1905.

Application filed July 8, 1905. Serial No. 268,823.

To all whom it 11m/y concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT C. I'IoBBs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ironton, in the county of Lawrence and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Speed-Indicators, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in devices adapted to be attachedto wheeled vehicles of all kinds and to indicate and register ythe rateof speed at which the vehicle moves and the distance it travels.

The special object of the 'improvements which form the subject-matter ofthis application for patent is to provide a device of simple andeconomical construction that can be readily applied to the axle of anordinary vehicle and which will indicate by an alarm when a mile orother unit of distance has been traveled, so that an occupant by using awatch can learn at what rate of speed the vehicle is traveling withoutexamining the registerand also which at the end of a trip will show on aregister the number of miles or units the vehicle has traveled.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application, Ihave shown a preferred adaptation of the principles of my invention inthe following views.

Figure lis a front elevation of my device applied to a vehicle axle andwheel. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line a a, of Fig. l. Fig. 3 isan enlarged cross-section on the line b l) of Fig. l, and Fig. 4 is adetail in perspective of portions of the device.

Referring to the details of the drawings, A. represents a commonvehicle-axle, square in Gross-section and made of metal. On one of theaxle-spindles is mounted a wheel having a hub of, around which issecured a band a2,

-having a projecting extension or lug. r-

rangedon the axle near its ends are U-shaped clips a3, which embraceblocks a4, said clips and blocks serving to support bearing-blocks a,which are suitably secured thereto and which in turn furnish support forthe indicating and registering elements to be described.

B represents a metal tube which extends substantially the length of theaxle, has its ends secured to the blocks a, and is formed with a narrowslot extending longitudinally throughout the length of the tube. Thistube proves a partially dust and weather proof casing for parts which itis desirable to so protect and which will be described and also affordsa support to the register-plate C, which is secured thereto. This plateis formed from a piece of sheet metal bent longitudinally to furnish aportion adapted to partially embrace and be secured to the tube and avertical portion on which is suitably indicated a scale representingmiles or units of line or measurement. Inserted in the upright portionof the element C are a plurality of spaced pegs o, the distance betweenthe pegs being uniform and representing a unit of measurement. Thesepegs project beyond the face of the indicator-plate and, if desired, maybe removably secured to said plate.

Extending throughout the tube B and suitably journaled in the bearingsa5 is a round steel rod D, which is threaded with the exception of itsournals throughout its entire length and has its threads cut with aslight pitch. On one end of the rod is secured a toothed disk d', soarranged that its teeth are in the plane of rotation of the collar a2,and at each revolution of the projection on said collar one of the teethof the disk will be engaged, and thus move the disk one step on itsaxis. Near the disk d a second disk d2 is fixed on the iod D, and sameis without teeth on its periphery. Secured to the clips a3 adjacent tothe disk d2 is a shoe d3, a portion of which overhangs said disk and ispreferably provided with a set-screw which frictionally engages the faceof the disk, and thus serves to check the disk d against too freemovement on its axis. Within the tube, parallel with the rod and. havingtheir ends secured in the bearings a", are three wires d, which arestretched taut and serve in con nection with the rod D to carry thetraveling indicator, to be described, and also serve to hold saidindicator in its proper position relative to the rod D. One end of therod is squared, as at d, to facilitate the turning of the rod by asuitable crank or key.

E represents the traveling indicator, which ismade of any suitablematerial and of such form and size as to best support its operativeparts, which are a spool e, a bell e2, a triplever e3, a pointer 6*, abell-hammer el", and a spring ci The spool or cylindrical part c isrigidly secured to the body of the indicator, is internally threaded toreceive the rod D, is bored to receive the wires d, and is adapted totravel freely through the tube B and on said wires. A portion of theindicator passes freely through the slot b. The trip-lever e3 is pivotedon a stud c7, fixed in the indicator, has its free end beveled, is heldin operative IOO IIO

position bya spring e, and is adapted to contact with the pins c as theindicator travels along the rod D. The hammer is secured to and isoperated by the trip-lever. The pointer c is secured at its lower end tothe indicator and has its upper end in position to register with thescale on the plate C.

lt will be apparent that a device constructed as shown and describedwill operate as follows: Assuming that the traveling indicator is set atthe beginning of the scale and the vehicle to which the device isattached is set in motion, the disk d will rotate, thus turning the rollD, which will cause the spool e/ to move longitudinally along said rod.As the trip-lever engages a peg or pin e it will be retracted againstthe tension of the spring e and carry with it the bell-hammer. lhen theindicator has moved along sufficiently to permit the end of the lever topass below the pin, the spring,will return the lever to its normalposition, and at the same time the hammer will sound the bell, and thusindicate to the occupant of the vehicle that a certain unit of distancehas been traveled by the vehicle. By consulting his watch the occupantcan learn the time required to travel such distance. At the end of thetrip the pointer will show on the scale the total number of miles orunits traveled. l/Vhen the indicator has traveled the entire length ofthe rod D, the user will loosen the disk d', apply a suitable crank orwrench tO the end d5, and by turning the rod in a direction reverse toits normal rotation cause the indicator to travel back to its initialposition.

Having thus described my inventionJ what l claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. ln a device of the character described, a threaded rod rotatablymounted on a vehicleaxle, means for rotating said rod from avehicle-wheel, an indicator mounted to travel on said rod by therotation of the latter, a bell mounted on said indicator, a lever and abell-hammer pivoted together on said indicator, and means for trippingsaid lever for the purpose set forth.

2. ln a device of the character described, a threaded rod rotatablymounted on a vehicleaxle, means for rotating said rod from avehicle-wheel, a slotted tubular cover for said rod, an indicatorarranged on said rod and having a threaded engagement therewith, a bellsecured to said indicator a lever and a bell-hammer pivoted together onsaid indicator, and means lor tripping said lever at intervals for thepurpose set forth.

In a device of the character described, a threaded rod rotatably mountedon a vehicleaXle, means for rotating said rod vfrom a vehicle-wheel,means for checking the rotation of the rod, an indicator-plate having ascale indicated thereon, an indicator arranged on said rod and having athreaded engagement therewith, a bell secured to said indicator, a leverand a bell-hammer pivoted together on said indicator, means for trippingsaid lever at intervals, and a pointer secured to said indieator.

4. In a device of the character described, a threaded rod rotatablymounted on a vehicleaxle, means for rotating said rod from avehicle-wheel, a slotted tubular cover for said. rod, an indicator-platesecured to said cover and having a scale indicated thereon, an indicatorarranged to travel on said rod, a bell secured to said indicator, alever pivoted on said indicator, a bell-hammer secured to said lever,means on said indicator-plate for tripping said lever, a pointer securedto said indicator, and means for preventing the indicator from rotatingon said rod.

In testimony whereof l a'Hix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT C. HOBBS.

Witnesses:

GRACE M. JONES, L. K. COOPER.

